The preparation of food can be a time consuming and messy process. Moreover, the complexity of certain recipes and dishes can create a cluttered atmosphere in the kitchen. Often times during the cooking process utensils are used during the preparation of the food. During use, these utensils collect residue from various food products, creating an inherent problem regarding the storage of the utensil when the utensil is still being used for the preparation of the food, and when the user needs to focus on other things (for example, preparation of other portions of the meal). Many times, the user leaves the utensil on the side of the stove leaving behind food residue which later needs to be cleaned. In other situations, the utensils may be left in the container with the food as it is being prepared. This, however, presents additional concerns because the utensil may be tipped or even knocked out of the container, thus causing potentially hot contents of the container to spill. This presents both a potentially dangerous and messy situation.
The present invention provides a solution to the current existing problems associated with the use of a utensil during the process of food preparation. The container and cookware apparatus are configured to provide a support member on which the utensil may rest upon after the utensil has been initially used. Once placed upon the support member, a utensil can be cantilevered over the opening in the container so that at least a portion of the utensil can be positioned over the food after the utensil's initial interaction with the food. This arrangement prevents residue left on the utensil from its initial exposure to the food from getting anywhere else during the remainder of the food preparation process (including, for example, the stove top, countertop, floor, etc.), thus minimizing messes. Moreover, the utensil is not likely to be easily tipped or knocked over, which diminishes the likelihood of accidentally spilling the contents within the container.